Spokane’s Our Lady of Lourdes is a beautiful example of Italian Romanesque Architecture, mostly brick with granite accents. The facade is framed by two square towers that reach a height of 164 ft.

History

In August of 1881, Jesuit Father Joseph Cataldo converted a carpenter’s shop into the Church of St. Joseph, the first Catholic church in Spokane. Only five people attended the first Mass in that wooden shed which measured just fifteen by twenty-two feet.

Five years later, a large brick church dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes replaced the original structure, and a school opened under the direction of the Sisters of the Holy Names. In 1913, Our Lady of Lourdes became the Cathedral for the newly created Diocese of Spokane.

The interior was renovated in 1971 when the altar was moved closer to the congregation. The cathedral has two organs, a W. W. Kimball pipe organ in the loft and the Druffel Memorial organ. The stained glass windows are from Bavaria.

Sadly, I didn’t make it back during the day for interior photos, but if I’m back in the area I’ll be sure to update this post.

The cathedral as seen from Spokane’s Riverfront Park, which we’ll visit next.

Visit Our Lady of Lourdes

Find the Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes along W Riverside Ave in downtown Spokane. Visit their website for mass schedules.